Leominster doubles up Bernardians

FITCHBURG -- The Leominster High ice hockey team talked all preseason long about starting the season fast.

Well, the Blue Devils definitely did just that.

Leominster struck for two first-periods goals and added two more in the second period for a four-goal lead before holding off area rival St. Bernard's in a season-opening, 4-2 victory Wednesday night at the Wallace Civic Center.

"I was happy with the way we competed," Leominster coach Chris Kyne said. "This is probably the first time in a long time that our team competed for 45 minutes. That's something that we've been harping on all year long.

"It's important to play well in your first game. This is something we can build on."

Senior second-line center Joey Apicella led the Leominster offense with two goals and one assist, while junior goaltender Logan Bergeron made 21 saves for the win between the pipes.

"I thought it all started in net with No. 30 Logan Bergeron. He was very strong and gave us a lot of confidence," Kyne said. "Joey Apicella, a senior leader for us, he really stepped up big for us. He led the way."

Leominster (1-0) came out in the first period fired up, while St. Bernard's (0-2) came out extremely flat. The slow start cost St. Bernard's, too, as the Blue Devils got two goals for a 2-0 lead after the first period.

Apicella had both tallies in the opening period. Cam Cordio (goal, assist) made a nice pass over the Apicella, who finished the play by beating St.

Apicella struck again, as the senior charged in from the near boards and unleashed a sizzling writer that deflected off Goliber and then caught some post before going into the back of the net. Matt Richard assisted on the goal 13:14 in.

"I'm a little disappointed with the effort I got out of my kids in the first period," St. Bernard's coach Jim Conry said. "You've got to come ready to play, and we just didn't come out of the blocks skating hard today."

Leominster kept pouring it on in the second period, getting goals from junior left wing Matt LaVanway at 1:37 and Cordio 6:39 in for a commanding 4-0 advantage.

"It's something you don't expect," Kyne said. "I know as a team we never expected to be up 4-nothing."

St. Bernard's was down, but it wasn't out. The Bernardians fought back and owned the final seven-plus minutes of the period to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Ethan Schlegel (goal, assist) gave the Bernardians life, taking a feed from Brandon Ecklund (goal, assist) and lighting the lamp at 7:06. Minutes later, Schlegel won a faceoff in the Leominster end and Ecklund banged home the puck by Bergeron at 13:31.

"We didn't come out flying at all. We really didn't skate until the middle of the second period," Conry said. "They could have packed it in when it was 4-nothing, but they hung in there and came back. That's a good sign."

Schelgel was awarded a penalty shot after being dragged down on a breakaway, but Bergeron made a nice save to stone Schlegel.

St. Bernard's couldn't beat Bergeron again, as the junior goalie denied scoring bids by Casey Downes (twice) and Liam O'Brien in the final period to lift Leominster to a season-opening victory.

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